The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-12-01
THE NEW cuRATE.
New England Farmer.

IhE new CURA1E.
New England Farmer.
"You haven't seen him yet? Well,
that's a pity. He's quite a catch,
I'm told, young, handsome and single.
Why don't you set your cap for him,
Matte? You've as good a chance as
the rest of them, and twenty.six is
not old by any MEANS"
Sheleaned over the garden gate as she
spoke. this veritable village gossip.
Gail see her now, with her great poke,
bonnet, fromben5ath which the cluster
ing gray ringlets peeped; the keen blue
eyes, that seemed to read your very
thoughts; the trim little figure clad
always in ample skirts of Quaker
Gray or sombre brown.
Never was there a wedding, funeral
or christening in the village without
this estimabIe ]ady's presence.
What a harmless little body she
appeared, and how incapable
OF carrying about that wonderful
budgetofinformation! How nicely she
impaired her knowledge to her listen
ers. beginning with, "WelI, don't
mind telling you." or "Thev do say,
but OF course you can't believe every
thing" and ending with, "That's be-
tween you and me; it will go no far.
Their"
was busy in the garden that morn
ing training some early June roses;
my thoughts were not the brightest,
scarcely IN harmony with nature,
that was decked in one of her BRIGHT.
est mantles. 1t was quite unnecessary
Tor Mrs. Briggs to remind me of NV
age; was thinking seriously of it..
Twenty'six! Not very old, to besure,
AMI yet not very young to be an un-
married woman. must be content
with fewer laurels, less conquests. l
must step out of the field, as it were.
and leave the romance and the day.
dreams to younger and fairer girls.
1t mattered little to me whether the
new curate was young and unmarried,
or a portly old fellow with a wife and
grown daughters. At heart disliked
this interfering old woman who had
broken in upon my reverie.
thanked her kindly for her advice,
telling her that at present mad no in
tentlon OF setting my cap for any one,
not even the new curate; so saying,
went back to my work and the roses.
There, Matte, don't get riled Oh
course it's nobody's business if YOU re
going to leave yourself an old maid;
but take my advice, and don't spend
your time fretting and worrying over
Bob Preston for he amt worth it,
She shook her head wisely, and was
off before had time to recover from
the cruel thrust that had opened the
old wound-Robert Preston and the
past.
had tried to guard my heart, to
trample under foot the old love. 1
could have laughed at my girlish tol-
~ rs If it were dream until q thought.
less word had brought back the page,
like the dead risen to life again, or a
smouldering fire that needed but q
gentle breeze to make it into burn
ing flame. One by one the roses drop.
ped from my hands. Twas only a
weak woman, after all, as, covering
my face with my hands, I sobbed:
.'Robert-oh, Robert! Why were you
false?"
1t all came back to me-that visit
: to Aunt Martha, where l first met
Robert Preston, q young student just
returned from college. l cannot tell
you all those bright. happy day
dreams; how l loved him. and waited
for that happy day when he would
ask me for that love. He read his
answer in my tell-tale face before my
lips uttered it.
So, engrossed with Roberts society,
l took little heed of other matters,
scarcely giving thought to the fact
that young lady, the daughter OF a
deceased friend OF my aunt's, was going
to make her home with US. She came.
From the moment looked upon her
lovely face my happiness was gone.
was q pretty girl, fair and fragile.
yet one might as we'll compare a SIM
pie little daisy to a full-blown poppy
or a rich red rose as my trail beauty
w OAAo SuA . IOvcllAcSS.
For time my love was changed.
laughed in my foolish heart at my
doubts and fears. At times / would
find his serious eyes wandering from
me and resting admiringly on the
beautiful face of Kathleen Lee. No
man could resist that womb Gus fas.
cinating face. She never encouraged
him, but the dropping lids, the faint
flush, the trembling of the little hands,
all told plainly that she. too, loved
him.
How 1 suffered! In my mad jeal-
ousy grew to almost hate the child.
He loved me before she came with her
beautiful fower-like face, to rob me
of that love. Was she blind that she
did not see that we were betrothed? l
prayed that she might 60 away, and
leave US to ourselves once more, and
Robert would 60 back to his old fond
ways. His caresses were growing cold
er, his kisses lighter. l spoke of his
seeming neglect; he answered lightly
taking my hands in his and looking
fondly at ME. "Nonsense, Matte! Do
you know, my little girl that you are
growing nearer and dearer to me every
day."
For time I was satisfied, trying to
be content with but share ofhis love.
We were seated in the garden, one
afternoon in the early autumn, Rob-
ert, Kathleen and !. She was looking
unusually handsome in a dress of soft
India null. My lover had just paid
her a well-merited compliment, for
which she was about to make q gra-
cious reply when Aunt Martha came
to US.
Robert" shes said, placing her hand
iondly on his shoulder as she spoke.
"will you gather sour grapes for me?
find that Soma of tha lunches HANG